The following is a text-only press release from the federal Institute of
Museum and Library Services (IMLS). An HTML version of this release can
be viewed on the agency's Web site at
http://www.imls.gov/news/2009/011609.shtm
Note to Editors: Please feel free to reprint the Six Tips to Preserve
Your Election Collections.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 16, 2009
Press Contacts
202-653-4632
Jeannine Mjoseth, [log in to unmask]
Mamie Bittner, [log in to unmask]
Six Tips to Preserve Your Election Collections
Washington, DC-Across the nation, Americans are saving newspapers,
posters, buttons, and bumper stickers to commemorate the historic
election and inauguration of Barack Obama, America's first African
American president. Anne-Imelda M. Radice, Director of the U.S.
Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), encourages
citizen-collectors to make sure that their presidential inauguration
collections will be preserved long into the future.
"The election day newspaper - cared for properly -- will still be there
years from now to remind us and future generations of this singular
moment in American history," Radice said. "This is a great time to raise
awareness of the need to protect election and inauguration-related items
from common threats such as high temperature, humidity, and light
exposure."
Follow these simple preventive steps* to keep your treasures safe and
sound for the next generation:
1. If you feel comfortable, your treasures will be comfortable.
When you feel hot or cold, damp or dry, so do your treasures. You
wouldn't feel comfortable living in the basement or attic and neither
are they. You feel better when there is good circulation; so do they.
2. Avoid extremes of temperature and humidity.
Strive to maintain as moderate and stable a level (72 degrees Fahrenheit
and 50 percent relative humidity) as practically possible. When choosing
where to display or store objects remember that the conditions of the
interior walls, room, and closets are more stable than those on the
exterior.
3. Create micro-climates and use protective covers.
Matting and framing with proper materials creates protective
micro-climates, as do chemically stable boxes (even boxes within boxes).
Use dust covers on stored objects and polyester liners on wooden shelves
to protect your treasures from dust and pollutants.
4. Limit light exposure.
The damaging effects of light are cumulative. Take precautions with the
amount and type of light to which your treasures are exposed.
5. Inspect your treasures regularly and tend to problems as they arise.
Regularly checking your treasures will help you monitor and tend to
problems as they arise. A water condensation problem might not be
present in the summer, but left unattended during the winter, could
cause serious damage.
6. Be sure that any alterations are reversible.
Respect the original historic materials and structure. Don't cut an
artwork to fit a frame. And if you must clip a photograph for your
scrapbook, do it to a copy and keep the original intact elsewhere.
*This guidance was excerpted from Caring for Your Family Treasures by
Heritage Preservation, IMLS's partner in Connecting to Collections, a
multi-year, multi-faceted initiative that aims to help museums and
libraries save their collections from poor storage conditions, pest
infestation, and exposure to light, humidity, and high temperatures.
For more information on preserving your collections, please go to the
Guide to Online Resources section on Care For Collections at
http://www.imls.gov/collections/resources/care.htm.
About the Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of
federal support for the nation's 122,000 libraries and 17,500 museums.
The Institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums that
connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the
national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to
sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and
innovation; and support professional development. To learn more about
the Institute, please visit www.imls.gov.
About Heritage Preservation
Heritage Preservation is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization
that is working to save the objects that embody our history, partnering
with conservators, museums, civic groups, and concerned individuals
across the nation who care about preserving our past. To learn more
about Heritage Preservation, please visit www.heritagepreservation.org.
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